The invention relates to a cardiac catheter for performing photoablations of heart tissue without risk of damage to the heart.
It is known to provide a cardiac catheter with a probe tip in such a manner that subendocardiac areas can be determined therewith by means of electrodes (Am. J. Cardiol 54: 186-192; 1984). The position of the probe tips however does not remain well determined over an extended period so that a coordination of diagnosis and subsequent therapy is not guaranteed. On the other hand, there are cardiac catheters by which photoablations of heart tissue can be performed by means of laser fibers disposed in the catheter hose (Circulation 71: 579 to 586; 1985). With such heart catheters however, it is possible that the laser fiber comes in direct contact with the endocardium (the heart inner wall membrane) and causes a photodissection of the subendocardium and the myocardium or a perforation of the heart wall.
Further, from DE 37 18 139 C1 a cardiac catheter is known with which the rinsing in the arterial area of the heart is insufficient because of the turbulence in that area.
It is the object of the invention to provide a cardiac catheter of the type referred to above in such a manner that sufficient rinsing with a physiological solution can be achieved in all areas of the heart and which also is of a simplified design.